AMERSTRDAM IMPRESSIONS

We are getting assimilated into Amsterdam life as best we can.  I thought I would just share some of the events, or aspects of life here that have left an impression with me.  

Of course we have to start with the bicycles.  When you look at them, they are not fancy - few have gears.  No one wears a helmet.  Bikes are made to accommodate "anything".  They have baskets, carts, extra seats (front and back).  I saw a child standing on the back holding on the shoulders of the mom and another child on a small seat attached to the adut seat.  Everybody is so comfortable riding and I have not observed one accident although last evening someone we met assured us that accidents do occur.  Riders are everywhere, I mean all over the street, not in bike lanes although when the city has them they do observe using them.  On our street they ride down the middle somewhat to the right but ...  They have little bells on the handlebars and they are used to alert the pedestrians to move.  I haven't seen a light on a bike yet. Of course it is light until well past 10:00 now.  I don't know if they ride bikes all year or not.  I'll have to check that out. Children grow up on a bicycle, drivers of cars are most likely bicyclists as well so both biker and driver know how to accommodate the other.  I often think bikers are going faster than drivers of vehicles, Particularly when I'm trying to get a picture of their "bike".  It is such a wonderful way to get around.  I just returned from dinner and I saw a bike with a bug screen!

Here's a bike to carry children or just about anything... They usualy have a little seat in them that can be put up against the cart or put down if a child or two are passengers.

This next bike has a seat for a child on the back but an atached smaller bike for an older child

This one has a seat attached to the handlebars and a seat on the rear.

Nothing fancy but gets the job done!

That just gives you some idea of what you might see but certainly there are all sorts of modifications that I can't even begin to describe.  

Shops and  small unique stores.  It's just so much fun walking down a street and seeing the variety of stores.  Cheese shops, wine shops, small clothes boutiques,shoe shops, hair salons, yoga stores, and of course restaurants, pubs and bars, and the coffee shops.  Yes they do have Starbucks but I'm talking about the other kind.  The sweet aroma of marijuana permeates the air when walking by.  One can get in 10000 steps so easily and enjoyably just by stepping out the door and picking a street to walk down. ( Maybe it's the effects of the aroma that makes it easy and enjoyable, never thought of that.) Of course none of those steps are aroebic but who cares!  One can spend a little money walking down the street and entering those clothing stores.  The big dilemma that will happen in four months is going to be what to discard of those little temptations.  No way can any new purchases be squeezed into those already full suitcases without something going. Maybe Sharon will be my best friend ever and put some of my stuff in her suitcases.  That's such a good idea.  I will have to mention it to her sometime soon so she can get used to the idea.  I'm just sure she'll say yes!

Interspersed among all the shops are little cafes where everyone sits, eats, drinks, whatever.  No rush!

And here I am just trying my best to fit in!

One of my favorites is the markets.  Can't schedue anything for Saturday morning because we must get to the market to get our food for the week.  As I've mentiond before you can get everything there.  On Monday we went to another kind of market - no food, just...

hats

old shoes

New shoes

Perhaps a fur..

Or maybe a new old dress.  No fitting rooms so you just make do...

Who's looking or snapping pictures...

Buttons anyone?  

Doll Clother...

Sharon wanted to buy this but I talked her out of it. It only had one tie to keep it closed.  I thought she would get tired of always trying to keep it closed inorder to maintain  modesty.  Otherwise I'm almost sure she would have purchased it.  She kept saying it wouldn't take up any room in her suitcase.  She's so lucky to have me as a friend so I can talk some sense into her sometimes.  

This next item really got my attention - Christmas presents or not, yes?no?  Finally decided against it.  If I bought these for everyone this early in the trip I might find something better later on and regret my premature purchase.  I may live to regret my decision but I finally walked away from the box without purchasing even one.

There were lots of dishes, and kitchen things that of course are similar to the stuff I  got rid of . If I had a home here I think I would have come home with a lot of "stuff".  Oh dear is that what's going to happen when I get a home?  I'll fill it  with gadgets, dishes, candlesticks, all over again.

Another of my favorite things are the little cars and trucks zooming around or parked conveniently on a corner.

The excitment of Soccer.  Who woudn't get into it living here.  

In closing this particular blog I have a very important confession to make.  Remember when I said we had figured out how to work everything in the loft and we were feeling pretty cocky. Well I have a confession this took us a while but we finally figured it out.

Now, we can read push - and we also know what it means but our problem was we could not get the lid off.  We thought perhaps it had gotten pushed on crooked, or maybe had been put on wet. and we just couldn't get it off.  For two weeks we put our garbage in a bag that we had placed right next to the convenient, large, perfect garbage can.  A few days ago  I looked at Sharon and told her to hold on to the bottom and I would pull on the lid with all my might.  I had been back to working out at the gym so I was feeling especially strong!  Well we started to pick the can up and guess what - the whole brown can comes off and underneath is  a garbage can.  So now I can honestly say we know how to work everything including the garbage can.

These precious little ones are not Dutch but look like they could be with their blond hair.  They just happen to be little Backus's.